Chapter 33

• Ayla
• The meeting room felt stifling, thick with the scent of anxiety and desperation. I followed Rex into the conference room. I tried not to think back at the moment that passed between us as Rex helped me put on the face mask to cover my identity. Polished mahogany gleamed under the light, reflecting the strained faces of the Silver Heart pack delegates. They sat around a massive table, their bodies tense, their eyes pleading. Rex gestured for me to sit beside him, and I did, my heart pounding against my ribs.
• I kept my head down, trying to blend into the meeting, but my senses were hyper-alert. Every tremor in their voices, every forced smile, every averted gaze – I noticed it all.